Collapsible crate



July 14, 1925. 1,546,325

w.c .sTARKEY COLLIAPSIBLE CRATE Filed DEC. 22. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l7Z l I 6,12

22 359 l J5 l3 July 14, 1925.

' w. C.STARKEY COLLAPSIBLE CRATE Filed Dec. 22. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Patented July 14, 1925.

UNITED STAT/{E133 W'nvroian 'cARLos STARKEY, or FLORENCE, ALABAMA.

coLL'APsfBLE CRATE.

Application filedDecember 22, 192i. Serial No. 757,438.

down and occupy a minimum amount of space. Y

-With the foregoing and other ob ects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention residesin the combination andarrangementof parts and in the details of constructionhereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes inthe precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be madewithin the scope-of what is claimed without departing from the spirit ofthe invention.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 represents a "top plan viewer a crate constructed in accordancewith this invention set up ready for use;

Fig.2 is a side elevationthereof;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation; I

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectio'ntake'n on the line -1-4lof Fig. l; V

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of thecrate shown in folded position; and I 7Fig. 6 is a transverse section of the fold ing crate.

in the embodiment illustrated, the crate constituting this inventioncomprisesa bottom 1 preferably co'mposedot wood, to the opposite sidesof which are hingedly connected side members 2 and 3. To theends of saidside members arehingedly connected end members t'tIDCl 5.All'ofthese'members are composed of substantially rectangular steelframes covered with heavy mesh wire.

The side members 2 and 3 are exactly alike and their combinedwidthcorresponds to the width of the bottom 1 sot-hat when these membersare folded flat on said bottom member when the crate is collapsed asshown in Fig. 6 they will snugly fit on the bottom and provide a supportfor a detachable top member 10 which corresponds in size to the bottommember 1 and is also made in the form of a steel frame covered with aheavy wire netting 11 similar to that; used "onthe side and end members.

The name of each sidemember is made substantially rectangular in formand'composed o:t a toprod'-6,a bottom "rod 71andend rods '8 with anintermediate 'rod 9 connectsaid top and bottom rods. I The top rod '6projects at its ends beyond the end rods and is provided withbifurcations 12 which straddle the 'end rods of the adjacent endmembe'rsas is shown'c'learly in Fig. 2.

Loops' l8 'a're swiveled to the ends of the bottom rod 7 and extendlaterally relatively thereto a'nd ar'e designed to receivecooperating'loops 1st fo'rniedatth'e lowere'nds of the end 'memb'ers 3and 4: and which extend transversely relatively to said members. The"loops 13 are split to permit disenga eme'nt therewith ofthe loopsofthee'nd memhers.

that they have no intermediate c'ross {rod "and the loops 1% formed inthe ends thereof are -slida'bly engagedwith the loops '13 to -p'ro 'videfor the proper folding ot' these memhers when 'in collapsed position aswill be h'ereinafter more fully described.

The detachable t'op memberlO ismad'e in "the form of a "substantiallyrectangular frame composed or longitudinally extending laterally spaced'steel'rods 16, four of which are he're shown connectfed'byend rods 17and over which is arranged a heavy wirenetting. The rods 16 are providedat their ends beyond *the end rods 1L3 with bifur- 'catedheads18positioned to' straddle'the top 'rodsB? and #of the-endu'nembers andinterlockingly engage therewith when the "crate is in set up operativeposition. i.

hinged door 19 is formed in the top 10 to afford access to the l1lt61l01'0ftl1$ crate and which is here shownsecured by latch 20.

The end members 3 and l'when in upright operative position are connectedby rods 2 'c'arrietl'by one member'a'nd cooperating rods 22 carried bythe other member and which are adjustably connected by turn-buckles 23.These turn buckles '23 have pivot conned tion with the rods 21 andthreaded connection with the rods 22 so that they may be turned fordrawing these rods toward each other and thus securely locking the endmembers in engagement with the top memher.

The bottom member 1 is shown provided midway its width with metal linedsockets The end members 3 and Fl are 'simi- N la rly constructedtotheside membersexcept 1* designed to receive lugs 25 which projectlaterally downward from the bottom rod of V the end members and whichoperate as stops to limit the longitudinal movement of the end membersin the loops 13 and to hold said end members in proper position forcooperative engagement with the other members of the crate.

' a t A coiled spring 2a is attached at one end to the top rod 4 of oneof the end members and is adapted to be detachably connected with thetop rod of the other end member 7 when these members are in foldedcollapsed.

position as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings.

In the use of this crate when the parts are I 1 as shown in Figs. 5 and6 in which position the loops 13 carried by said members extend upwardas shown in Fig. 5. The top mem- *ber 10 is then laid on top of thefolded side members and the end members 3 and 4 are raised in the loops13 and folded downwardly toward each other over the top member 10' asshown in Figs. 5 and 6. When so folded thecoiled spring 24 carried byone end member is engaged with the other end member as shown in Fig. 5and the parts will be securely locked in collapsed position.

To set up the crate when it is in folded position the operation isreversed. The coiled spring being disengaged from the end memher withwhich it is detachably connected,

said end members are swung upwardly to permit the top to be lifted outand then the side members are swung upwardly and they bifurcated headscarried thereby engaged with the end members. When in this position thetop is inserted with the bifurcated heads thereof engaged with the crossbars at the upper end of the end members and these end members aresecured together by the turn buckle carried rods as above describedwhich look the parts in operative position holding them rigidly andsolidly against all possible collapse.

I claim 1. A collapsiblecrate comprising a bottom having side membershingedly connected messes thereto, end members hingedly connected to theendsof said side members, and loosely engaged therewith to permit theend members to be folded down over the side members when the crate iscollapsed, said end and side members having means for interlockingengagement when in upright operative position, a top having means fordetachable connection with the end and side members, and

means for locking said top engaged with said members. v

2. In a collapsible crate, ,a bottom, side members hingedly connected tosaid bottom,

end inembers'having a sliding and pivotal connection with the ends ofsaid side members, said endand side members having vmeans forinterlocking engagement when in upright operative position, a top, andmeans for locking saidtop engaged with said members. j V

3. A collapsible crate comprising abottom having side. and endmembershingedly con nected thereto, said side members having forks forinterlocking engagement with the end members when in upright operativeposition, a removable top having means for interlocking engagement withsaid end members, and me'ans to detachably connect said end members andhold them engaged with the top member. V

4;. In a collapsible crate, bottom, side members hingedly connected tosaid bottom, end members having a sliding and pivotal connection withsaid side members at the ends thereof, a. removable top having forkheads at its ends for interlocking engagement with the end members whenin set up position, and adjustable rods connecting said end 'members tohold them engaged with said top member.

- 5.,In a collapsible crate, a bottom, side members hinged tosaidbottoin, loops extending laterally from the lower corners of saidside members, end members having loops engaged with the loops ofsaidside members to adapt them to move toward and away from the side memberswhen in folded position, and a coiled spring for connecting said endmembers when folded to "hold the parts securely together.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence oftwo witnesses.

. Witnesses E. E. HARGETT, v CLARENCE BRADEN.

